.450 bushmaster barrel length

MISportsman

New member
Just curios, for a hunting .450 bushmaster (or .458 socom I haven't decided yet) build what would be the better barrel length 16" or 18"?
 
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Well I think longer is always better until it just gets too long to where it's unhandy. The bushmaster also has some recoil so I don't think it hurts to have a little weight out on the nose either.
 
I'd go 20" for all the reasons already mentioned plus it gets all that noise a few inches farther from your ears! Try to find a linear comp. I have owned both 16" and 20", couldn't get rid of the 16" fast enough. Both guns were easily sub MOA. The 20" was just way more comfortable to shoot!
 
I would go with the 458, bottle neck cartridges rarely have feed issues.
Go to tromix.com and check out what Tony has to offer.
 


I have one of the first 450BM from the old Bushmaster Company.
It has a 16in barrel and it is called the thumper for a reason.
It has been a great deer rifle.
 
you cant use the 458 socom in the restricted zone in michigan - no bottle neck cartridges allowed , only straight wall.


if you're gonna hunt with a 450, 18" or 20" are the magic lengths when it comes to maintaining velocity with the standard 250gr load.

just for reference, match grade machine who makes TC barrels did a "by the inch" test with it... here are the results

https://matchgrademachine.com/velocity-testing-thompson-center-barrels/#bushmaster

450BMGraph-page-001-1-1030x756.jpg


we have a couple 20"s in the hunting group that have taken multiple deer, as well as an 18" that will be blooded this fall after i loaned my 20" out to my cousin to hunt on the big field with and he one shotted a nice big doe at 160 yds. that one shot sold him and his wife and kids got him one for christmas. he's been a shotgunner for years now and is a full on convert.

a buddy of mine also hunts with an 18" up in the thumb. he whacked a doe at 200 last year with his.

not that a 16" wont get the job done.. but if you're gonna reach out past 100 yds at all.. those extra few FPS will make a difference.

hth
 
It sounds like the longer barrel would be the better choice for hunting. As far asthe 450 vs 458, I'm not concerned about the restricted area. I hunt up in wexford county which is in the unrestricted area and I have a ruger American in 350 legend that I use if I hunt the southern part of the state. Thanks for the info.
 
good stuff - glad you've got options.


one thing i will say on the 450 vs the socom... the bullets are a bunch cheaper, especially if you're a reloader.

god forbid you can actually find blems, i reload 225 ftx for plinkers at about $0.36-$0.38 per round.

i dont think there's a sub 30 cent .458 bullet out there that i've seen (looking for them for my cousin who just got a socom)
 
I built an 18in 450BM for a customer and was pleased with the accuracy. We got it to clover leaf at 100 yds with Hornady factory ammo. It sure packs a wallop...
 
Originally Posted By: MISportsmanIt does sound like the 450 would be the practical option. Just ammo availability illustrates that.

ya i was down at dundee about a week ago and they had an entire endcap full of 450 bm ammo (245gr interlock and 250 ftx black).
 
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